Wire-stretcher.



PATBNTBD APR. 23, 19o?.

P. H. LAMB.

, WIRE STRETGHER. APPLIog'HoN FILED 1330.18.1906.

[zw/BN TOR IMT-[Lam //omey rnc Noms PETERS c sbr UNTTED STATES PATENTOFFTCF..

FRANK H. LAMB, OF HOQUTAM, WASHINGTON.

WIRE-STRETCHER.

To all when@ it may concern:

Be it knowm that 1, FRANK H. LAMB, a citizen of the United States,residing at Houiam, in the county of Ohehalis, State ol N'Vashington,have invented certain new and useful improvements in \"i.e-Stretcliers,ol" which the following is a speci'lication, recrence being had thereinto the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to a wire stretcher,

Specication of Letters Patent. Application tiled December 18,1906.Serial No. 348,466.

and particularly to a structure in which the jaws are adapted toalternately grip the wire so as to simulate a hand over hand pullwithout any travel o'l the stretching mechanism.

The invention has for an object to provide a plurality of alternatelyoperated gripping` jaws connected with a single operating lever so thatwhen one jaw is in engagement and pulling relation with the wire tobestretched, the other jaw is advancing to a position lor a subsequentpull in the reversal of the operating lever. By this means a stretchingaction is secured in which the direction of movement of the operatinglevermay be reversed and the range of' action is not limited to thelength of the bar or other supporting device so that the stretching orpulling can be continued as long as desired.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will behereinafter set forth and the novel vfeatures thereof delined by theappended claims.

Tn the drawing z-Figure 1 is a side ele# vation; Fig. 2 is a top planwith the handle in section; Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line3-3, Fig 1.

Like numerals or' reference indicate like parts in the several views ofthe drawings.

The numeral 1 designates a supporting bar of any desired configurationwhich is preterably provided at one end with an attaching device 2 bywhich it may be held against longitudinal movement. This bar is providedwith the depending bracket 3 upon the lower end of which the operatinglever L1 is pivotally mounted at 5, while at the opposite sides of itsiulcrum this lever has attached thereto connecting links 6 and 7 bymeans o'l the pivots S, as shown in Fig. 1. These links are eachpivotally connected at 9 to the lower ends of the gripping levers 10,said levers being mounted upon the jaw blocks 11 which are slidinglymounted upon the b ar in any desired manner. This may be accomplishedmeans of the open sided recess or channel 12 within the block into whichthe bar 1 is Patented April 23, 1907.

adapted to Vlit and to be retained in position by means o'l the grippinglever 10 held against the opposite Afaces oi the bar by its pivotingbolt 13 mounted in the block.- The upper end ot this lever carries anydesired term of gripping device 14, for instance, having a curved tacewhich engages or bites against the wire in one movement oi" the leverand slips on the wire in the opposite movement thereol". The operatinglever is provided with any desired i'orm. ol" handle 15, while at theend ol" the bar 1 is a suitable guide 16 through which the wire passes,and the outer Atace of the block 11 is provided with the rib 17 toretain the wire against lateral displacement thereon. The links 6 and 7may each be provided with recesses 1S upon their faces to permit theoperating lever to be thrown into a horizontal position fortransportation or other purposes, while each o'l these links is providedat its point of' connection with the gripping lever with a spring 19which maintains it in a forward position in contact with the wire 1n theapplication of the stretcher the attaching end 2 is secured to anysupport, such as a pole, post or other relatively 'liXed member by meansoi the usual cha-in or connection and in the operation thereof, il` thelever 4 is thrown toward the le'lit, in Fig. 1, the blocks and grippingdevices will be forced apart, one eing in gripping contact with the wirewhile the other slips thereon. 1n the opposite movement of the lever tothe right these gripping devices are drawn toward each other with one incontact with the wire and the other slipping thereon so that an alternating gripping action is secured and the stretching occurs in boththe 'forward and backward strokes o'l the handle by an action similar toa hand over hand pulling upon the wire or cable to be stretched.

It will be seen that this stretcher is not limited in its length ofaction to the length of its support and is capable of pulling anydesired length of wire which may be continued as long as necessary. Thegripping jaws may be adapted in configuration to any special work ormaterial to be stretched so as to prevent injury thereol" while securingthe most efficient grip lor the stretching action.

The invention embodies such simplicity oi' construction as to obviateany danger ol derangement ol the parts thus providing 'for the mostaccurate and efficient operation.

Having now described my invention and IOO IIO

set forth its merits, what I claim and desire l provided with adepending bracket, an operto secure by Letters Patent is zating leverpivotally mounted upon said l. In a wire stretcher, a bar, an operatingbracket, gripping devices slidingly mounted lever pivotally mountedthereon, a gripping upon the bar at opposite sides of said lever,

5 device slidably mounted on said bar, a grip; and connections yfrom thelever to the gripping lever carried by said device, and a con pingdevices for moving the saine toward and necting link between theoperating and gripfrom the lever. i 4 ping lever to oscillate the latterin the recip- 6. In a wire stretcher, a supporting bar rocation of saiddevice. provided with a depending bracket, an operxo 2. In a wirestretcher, a bar, an operating ating lever pivotally mounted upon saidlever pivotally mounted thereon, a gripping bracket, gripping ldevicesslidingly mounted device slidably mounted on said bar, a gripupon thebar at opposite sides of the lever, 45 ping lever carried by saiddevice, a connectconnections from the lever to the gripping ing linkbetween the gripping and operating devices for moving the same towardand i 5 levers, and a tension spring connecting the from the lever, aguide at one end of said bar,

gripping lever and link. and an attaching' device carried by the oppo-In a Wire stretcher, a bar, an operating site end thereof. 5o leverpivotally mounted thereon, gripping 7. In a wire stretcher, a supportingbar, an

blocks slidably mounted on said bar, a grip- I operating lever pivotallymounted thereon,

2o ping lever carried by each of said blocks, a gripping devicesslidingly mounted upon said connecting link between each of the grippingar and pro vided'with levers, and links eX- levers and the operatinglever, and an upper tending from one end of said levers and piv- 5 5gripping jaw carried by the free end of each oted to the operating'lever at the opposite gripping lever. side of the fulcrum thereof, saidlinks being 2 5 4. In a wire stretcher, a supporting bar, an `providedwith recessed faces to seat at oppooperating lever pivotally mountedthereon, a site sides of the fulcrum of the lever. gripping blockslidably mounted upon said n testimony whereof, I affix my signature 6obar and having a recessed face to receive the in presence of twowitnesses.

same, a 0ripping lever pivotally mounted 3o upon the iecessed face ofsaid block to retain FRANK H LAMB" the bar therein., and a connectinglink from i YWitnesses: said gripping lever to the operating lever.WALTER C. GREGG, In a wire stretcher, a supporting' bar T. B. ADAMs.

